Home runs by third baseman Peyton Webb, left fielder Jennie Kieval and right fielder Sarah Allison helped power Sam Houston to a Southland Conference softball doubleheader sweep of Abilene Christian Friday afternoon.
The Bearkats defeated ACU 5-4 and 5-2 to run their current winning streak to six games. Sam Houston stands 15-24 for the year and 6-12 in Southland Conference play. The Wildcats dropped to 9-31 for the year and 3-17 in league action.
The doubleheader was moved up to 11 a.m. Friday to avoid expect rain showers in the evening. The pair will play the final game of the series Saturday at 10 a.m., also a revised time due to weather.
Allison's home run was the game-winning hit in the nightcap. The blast was her eighth of the year and the 30th of her career. Allison stands as the second all-time leading home run hitter in SHSU softball history.
Webb and Kieval's homers came in the first game in a contest where ACU out-hit the Kats 10-8 but left 11 runners stranded.
A run-scoring triple by centerfielder Taylor Brown, an RBI single by shortstop Payton Henrick and a run scored on an error gave Abilene Christian an early 3-0 lead in the opening game.
Webb got two runs back for the Bearkats in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run homer down the left field line. The shot was her 2bseventh home run of the year. Second baseman Dani Allen tied the contest 3-3 with a sacrifice fly to center in the fourth inning. The play brought in Kieval who was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a pair of singles.
In the fifth inning, Kieval put the Kats up 5-3 with a shot to left center for her fifth home run of the year. The blast scored Webb who reached on a fielder's choice. Right fielder Brianna Rodriguez added another run for the Wildcats with an RBI single in the top of the seventh.
Taylor Atkinson (3-6) earned the victory in the circle, facing 20 batters the final four and two thirds innings. Jordan Franks was the starter for Sam Houston. Emily Seidel (4-21) took the loss for ACU.
The Wildcats tallied first in the nightcap as center field Taylor Brown led off the game with a single, stole second base and scored on an error.
Allison's three-run homer down the left field line put the Kats ahead 3-1 in the third frame. The shot scored center fielder Jessica Slater who walked and Allen who singled. Allison had a another RBI to her total in the fifth inning.. Kieval also produced a run-scoring single in the inning to up SHSU's lead to 5-1. ACU added a final run in the top of the seventh.
Haley Baros (2-7) chalked up her fifth complete game performance to earn the win in the nightcap. Julia Montoya (5-10) took the loss for the Wildcats. Sam Houston totaled 17 hits in the doubleheader with Allen leading the way going 4-for-7 at the plate.
